This is definitely NOT the weather for ice cream! However with writing articles in advance, ice cream was on the menu yesterday. The violet passion is continuing - Bree who competed in Masterchef with me last year and who was a fantastic come back kid in this years programme (I know I am biased as she is a friend but I have never seen anyone have such an amazing professional kitchen round - Bree you are destined for great things!) is coming to visit soon and has found some violet lollipops. Violet tea is a permanent fixture in our house - even though it is so hard to find! And the latest addition to the range - Violet ice cream! I have also made this with rose water syrup with the crystallised violets to give the perfect Rose and Violet cream combination! Why not try both (although I will forgive you for waiting until warmer months to do so)

Violet Ice Cream
285ml double cream
285ml semi skimmed milk (or skimmed if you prefer)
150ml violet syrup (available from confisserie florian or by Morin syrups or if like me you find lots of violets you can make your own - a handful of violet petals, 200grams sugar and 200ml of water simmered over a gentle heat until syrupy and then strained)
50grams of crystallised violets

Simmer the cream and milk in a pan over a gentle heat until the mixture has thickened and gone a golden yellow colour. This should take approximately 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the violet syrup which will sweeten the cream. Leave to cool completely. Churn the ice cream in an ice cream maker (or place in a tupperware box in the freezer and whisk every 30 minutes to add air until the mixture is frozen). When the mixture is almost frozen add the crystalised violets which add a nice crunchy texture to the ice cream. I used small ramekins for my icecream, turning them out to serve, drizzled with some violet syrup and some home made crystallised violet flowers.